Travel Style: Michael Fuller

Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Michael Fuller

Name: Michael Fuller

Occupation: Officially? I worked as an engineer on three different continents before becoming an energy efficiency/carbon management consultant in Perth. But you might call independent travel my pre-occupation! I’ve negotiated 2-3 months of travel into each of the last ten years. But all that’s about to change…

Because I’ve just quit (a job I loved) to focus on travel photography, story-telling, and sharing advice. I launched the ONE Project to help others travel simpler, improve photography, connect meaningfully with local people, and create serendipity.

How many countries have you been to? With respect to everyone who does—I actually don’t count! Let me tell you why:

After uni I spent 2 months traveling through China, learning mandarin, speaking to random people in third-class trains, and reading extensively about their history and culture. What did I learn? That the country has a billion people’s worth of stories, art, culture, philosophy and history. And at least 3000 years of it! My sense of our world’s scale ballooned…and blew my mind. Since then I’ve travelled to other countries rich in history and complex in culture, like India, like Indonesia (the latter four times!). And I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface, culturally and geographically.

So now instead of counting countries, I count how lucky I am! Lucky to have had the opportunity for so many extraordinary experiences around this amazing planet. Even if they were in my own backyard.

How many continents have you been to? All the proper ones. (I’m saving Antarctica, like a frozen dessert.)

Favorite travel website(s)—besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! Given my upcoming trip to the ‘stans, Caravanistan is proving exceptionally useful. And I’m a frequent contributor to Wikitravel and Atlas Obscura.

What do you always seem to forget? A pen in my carry-on, for immigration paperwork. The flight attendants don’t like sharing theirs. I promised them I wouldn’t forget mine again!

What do you like least about travel? Not being able to prepare meals with my Japanese kitchen knives. They slice and dice every vegetable into pure bliss.

Most embarrassing travel moment: Getting conned in Zambia. It was my first day travelling in Africa after working three months in a copper mine. But I got my money’s worth the next day, because I found the thief….

What’s your dream destination? Wherever I’m off to next—in this case, Kyrgyzstan. Reading books about my next destination in the weeks before I leave builds my excitement and anticipation. (It also gives me some context to understand and thus appreciate the radically different cultures of our planet.)

Best travel tip: Eat at the locals’ favourite spots, take public transit (be it motorbike taxis or chicken-buses), and try your best to learn the language (especially local slang). You’ll save money, open your mind to new cultural norms, and open your heart to allow connections with wonderful local people and serendipitous experiences.

May 18, 2015Johnny Jet

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About the Author

I used to be afraid to fly and at times even leave the house! I conquered my fear (long story) and now I travel to 20+ countries a year sharing my firsthand knowledge, tips and deals with friends, family and readers. Please sign up to our free newsletters and tell your friends!

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